Enhanced LTE retainability when roaming

Abstract

A device is configured to establish a first roaming network connection to a first roaming network and a second roaming network connection to a second roaming network. The first roaming network has a higher priority than the second roaming network, the second roaming network configured to support a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, the first RAT having a higher priority than the second RAT. When a current network connection is the second roaming network connection, determining a current RAT used for the second roaming network connection. When the current RAT is the first RAT, determining between an active use state and a non-active use state. When the device is in the active use state, deactivating a capability to reselect to the first roaming network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 at a device that is configured to establish a first roaming network connection to a first roaming network and a second roaming network connection to a second roaming network, the first roaming network having a higher priority than the second roaming network, the second roaming network configured to support a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, the first RAT having a higher priority than the second RAT: 
 when a current network connection is the second roaming network connection, determining a current RAT used for the second roaming network connection; 
 when the current RAT is the first RAT, determining between an active use state and a non-active use state; and 
 when the device is in the active use state, deactivating a capability to reselect to the first roaming network having the higher priority than the second roaming network to retain the current network connection to the second roaming network. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining available roaming networks at a location of the device, the available roaming networks based on an operator table, the operator table indicating a prioritization of the available roaming networks. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the active use state comprises one of a display device of the device being activated, an input/output device of the device being used, the current network connection being in a connected state, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-active use state comprises when the current network connection is in an idle state. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deactivating the capability to reselect the first roaming network comprises one of deactivating a scan timer to trigger a scan for the first roaming network, deactivating the scan for the first roaming network, deactivating a reselection operation to reselect to the first roaming network, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deactivating the capability to reselect the first roaming network persists when one of a system information block (SIB) read failure occurs, a radio link failure (RLF) occurs, a handover failure occurs, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether a trigger event has occurred; and 
 when the trigger event has occurred, terminating the deactivating the capability to reselect the first roaming network. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the trigger event comprises one of a change in the current RAT from the first RAT to the second RAT, a change from the active use state to the non-active use state, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is associated with a home network provided by a home carrier, the home carrier having a roaming agreement with a first foreign carrier providing the first roaming network and a second foreign carrier providing the second roaming network. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second roaming networks are Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), wherein the first RAT is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) RAT, and wherein the second RAT is a 3G RAT. 
     
     
       11. A device, comprising:
 a transceiver configured to establish a first roaming network connection to a first roaming network and a second roaming network connection to a second roaming network, the first roaming network having a higher priority than the second roaming network, the second roaming network configured to support a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, the first RAT having a higher priority than the second RAT; and 
 a processor, when a current network connection is the second roaming network connection, determining a current RAT used for the second roaming network connection, when the current RAT is the first RAT, the processor determining between an active use state and a non-active use state, when the device is in the active use state, the processor deactivating a capability to reselect to the first roaming network having the higher priority than the second roaming network to retain the current network connection to the second roaming network. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a memory arrangement storing an operator table, the operator table indicating available roaming networks at a location of the device, the operator table further indicating a prioritization of the available roaming networks. 
 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 12 , wherein the memory arrangement includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) card. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the active use state comprises one of a display device of the device being activated, an input/output device of the device being used, the current network connection being in a connected state, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the non-active use state comprises when the current network connection is in an idle state. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor deactivates the capability to reselect the first roaming network by one of deactivating a scan timer to trigger a scan for the first roaming network, deactivating the scan for the first roaming network, deactivating a reselection operation to reselect to the first roaming network, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor further determines whether a trigger event has occurred and, when the trigger event has occurred, terminates the deactivating the capability to reselect the first roaming network. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 17 , wherein the trigger event comprises one of a change in the current RAT from the first RAT to the second RAT, a change from the active use state to the non-active use state, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the device is associated with a home network provided by a home carrier, the home carrier having a roaming agreement with a first foreign carrier providing the first roaming network and a second foreign carrier providing the second roaming network. 
     
     
       20. An integrated circuit, comprising:
 at a device that is configured to establish a first roaming network connection to a first roaming network and a second roaming network connection to a second roaming network, the first roaming network having a higher priority than the second roaming network, the second roaming network configured to support a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, the first RAT having a higher priority than the second RAT: 
 first circuitry configured to, when a current network connection is the second roaming network connection, determine a current RAT used for the second roaming network connection; 
 second circuitry configured to, when the current RAT is the first RAT, determine between an active use state and a non-active use state; and 
 third circuitry configured to, when the device is in the active use state, deactivate a capability to reselect to the first roaming network having the higher priority than the second roaming network to retain the current network connection to the second roaming network. 
 
     
     
       21. The integrated circuit of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 fourth circuitry configured to determine available roaming networks at a location of the device, the available roaming networks based on an operator table, the operator table indicating a prioritization of the available roaming networks. 
 
     
     
       22. The integrated circuit of  claim 20 , wherein the active use state comprises one of a display device of the device being activated, an input/output device of the device being used, the current network connection being in a connected state, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       23. The integrated circuit of  claim 20 , wherein the non-active use state comprises when the current network connection is in an idle state. 
     
     
       24. The integrated circuit of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 fourth circuitry configured to determine whether a trigger event has occurred; and 
 when the trigger event has occurred, fifth circuitry to terminate the deactivating the capability to reselect the first roaming network.